2/13/13 Press Release

13 Feb 2013

On 11/16/12, at approx 1130 hours, Officers responded to a report of a male subject in possession of what appeared to be a human skull.

The officers located the subject in the 300 Block of Visitation Ave. When confronted, the subject assaulted the officers. Two officers received moderate to minor injuries while taking him into custody. The officers have been treated and released. The subject was booked into the San Mateo County Jail for assaulting a police officer.

The subject was indeed in possession of what appears to be a human skull. The suspect was either unwilling or unable to articulate exactly where he found the skull. The Brisbane Police Department conducted searches of different locations based on what statements he did make and areas where he has been known to frequent. Officers were unable to locate any additional evidence at that time.

On 1/16/13, following his release from jail, officers re-contacted the subject from the above incident. The subject was at this point willing to show officers the location where he found the skull. Upon their arrival, officers located additional remains on a hillside in an unpopulated area of Brisbane, Southwest of Bayshore Blvd. and Old County Road. The San Mateo County Crime Lab processed the scene and the San Mateo County Coroner’s office recovered the remains.

Brisbane Police, San Mateo County DA’s Office, San Mateo County Crime Lab and the San Mateo County Coroner’s Office have been working together to attempt to identify the remains. DNA was extracted and has been sent to the Department of Justice. Those results are still pending. An initial examination by a forensic anthropologist has indicated that the remains belong to a female between the ages of 33 and 46 years old, between 5’3” and 5’6” tall. The remains have likely been at the location where she was found for an excess of 5 years.

Investigators are comparing the information that we have with those of missing persons records. It is still too early in the investigation to determine if the remains are related to a crime or natural occurrence.

Please click here for the PDF version of the press release from the Brisbane Police Department.